Newsletters
Q: What is one of the simplest ways to keep your funeral home’s name in front of prospective families?
A: A Newsletter!
FAC Marketing has revamped our quarterly newsletter, giving it a fresh new look and loading it with valuable content. Our newsletter service puts your name and contact information in the hands of families who then keep it on their coffee table, refrigerator or next to their favorite chair. People still love to receive relevant mail, and the regular repetition of a community-focused newsletter that appears in the mailbox is welcome to many people in your age demographic. Email newsletters are also an option.
Community Outreach Newsletter
This quarterly newsletter focuses on the value of funeral service. Each issue contains important articles about the value of all aspects of funeral service. We consider this marketing tool a soft sell, because you are supplying your families with important information instead of directly trying to sell them a service. They will appreciate your knowledge and begin to see you as an influencer in your industry.
Caring & Sharing is designed to be handed to families at various functions at your funeral home. It’s a very personable and hands-on way to interact with people that come across your threshold. Patrons can leave with a memorial card and your newsletter. You can also distribute Caring & Sharing in your local communities, because it has articles in addition to the value of funeral service that are designed to be relevant and entice people to hold on to your newsletter.
Aftercare Programs
When you’re ready to get results from aftercare surveys and grief care newsletters, contact FAC Marketing. Our experience and results with aftercare programs win over funeral homes as well as their communities with opportunities for feedback, healing and preplanning. All you need to do is send us contact information, and we do the rest. We’ve perfected our methods, so the Bridges of Transition Newsletters and Family Follow-up Surveys hit the mail stream at the optimal time for excellent response rates.
Bridges of Transition©
If you want to build stronger relationships with the families who use your services, Bridges of Transition© offers long-term comfort and education following their experience with your funeral home. With this 16-month newsletter program, we do the work for you, freeing you to focus on follow-up conversations and meetings with families.
Here’s how it works: As families transition out of their time of need, give them our Grief Brochure and Survey. These materials provide grief guidance and an opportunity to provide feedback on your services. Then, each month, you provide us with client contact information, which we use to send eight print newsletters over the next 16 months. The topics include:
• 4 Newsletters on grief recovery
• 2 Seasonal newsletters to comfort them at the holidays
• 1 Newsletter containing a soft preneed message
• 1 Newsletter containing a stronger advanced planning message
This program provides you with valuable feedback and long-term aftercare for your families
that could result in preplanning or future funeral services with your facility.
Family Follow-up Survey
Tired of aftercare surveys that don’t work? FAC Marketing knows how to get responses to Family Follow-up Surveys. This program can provide high-value lead generation at its best. Our research and experience have provided us solid knowledge of the optimal times and methods for delivering survey mailings.
Over the last three years, many of our clients received response rates of 45-50 % on Family Follow-up Surveys. While we can’t promise you’ll receive this level of response, we can say that the median response rate is approximately 50%.
FAC Marketing looks forward to working with you on your aftercare programs. Let’s partner up to develop ongoing marketing programs that work!
Contact us to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to keep my funeral home top of mind with families?
A regularly mailed print or email newsletter is one of the simplest ways to stay top of mind with families. Newsletters create consistent touchpoints by delivering valuable and relevant information that families often keep around the home for future reference. Unlike fleeting digital ads, physical newsletters have lasting visibility on coffee tables, refrigerators, or kitchen drawers.
What types of newsletters does FAC Marketing offer for funeral homes?
FAC Marketing provides two main newsletter programs tailored to funeral homes:
- Community Outreach Newsletter (Caring & Sharing), a quarterly publication focusing on funeral service value and community connection
- Bridges of Transition©, a 16-month aftercare program featuring eight newsletters designed to support grieving families
Both print and email formats are available. Each program targets different marketing goals, from brand awareness to aftercare and preplanning education.
How often should funeral homes send newsletters?
Most funeral homes see strong results mailing community newsletters quarterly and sending aftercare newsletters on a strategic schedule over 16 months. Specifically:
- Community Outreach Newsletters: Quarterly, to maintain steady presence without overwhelming recipients
- Bridges of Transition Aftercare: Eight newsletters spaced over 16 months to support families through their grief journey
This frequency balances memorable engagement without triggering "spam fatigue."
Can I get both print and email newsletters?
Yes, FAC Marketing offers both print and email newsletter options for funeral homes. Print newsletters often achieve higher retention, as families physically keep them, while email newsletters offer cost efficiencies and instant delivery. Many funeral homes combine both approaches, sending print newsletters to premium mailing lists and email versions to broader community contacts.
Can I customize the newsletters with my funeral home's branding?
Absolutely. All FAC Marketing newsletters feature your funeral home's name, logo, contact details, and branding elements. Content is professionally crafted to appear as if directly coming from your funeral home, lending credibility and positioning you as a knowledgeable, trusted resource without extra work on your part.
What is the Community Outreach Newsletter?
The Community Outreach Newsletter, called "Caring & Sharing," is a quarterly publication focused on educating your community about the value of funeral services. Each issue contains important articles about the value of all aspects of funeral service. Designed as a soft-sell marketing tool, it provides useful information rather than direct service pitches, building trust and positioning your funeral home as an influencer in your industry.
How can I use the Caring & Sharing newsletter?
Caring & Sharing can be distributed in various ways:
- Handing out at funeral home events
- Providing to families during arrangements or visitations
- Distributing in your local communities
- Including with memorial cards after services
The newsletter is crafted to be kept for reference, extending its marketing life beyond initial receipt.
What topics are covered in funeral home newsletters?
Topics include:
- Importance and value of funeral services
- Pre-planning guidance and benefits
- Grief support and coping strategies
- Family traditions and memorial ideas
- Seasonal and holiday remembrance tips
- Community news and education about funeral options
The balance of educational and general-interest content encourages families to retain newsletters even if not currently planning services.
What is the Bridges of Transition aftercare newsletter program?
Bridges of Transition© is a 16-month aftercare newsletter campaign for funeral homes designed to build long-term relationships with families who have used your services. It provides grief support, education, and gentle preplanning messages through eight specially timed newsletters. This aftercare communication program supports families while positioning your funeral home as a caring, ongoing resource.
How does the Bridges of Transition program work?
The process is simple:
- Provide families with a Grief Brochure and Survey shortly after services conclude
- Each month, submit contact info for recent families served
- FAC Marketing handles creation, printing, and mailing of all newsletters over 16 months
- Your funeral home focuses on meaningful follow-up conversations generated from the program
This done-for-you aftercare campaign strengthens connections with families post-service.
How long does the Bridges of Transition program last?
The full program runs 16 months, delivering eight newsletters strategically spaced to align with grief recovery stages and family receptivity to preplanning messages.
What topics are covered in the Bridges of Transition newsletters?
The newsletters include:
- Four on grief recovery with practical coping strategies
- Two seasonal messages offering comfort during holidays and anniversaries
- One with a soft preplanning message
- One with a stronger advanced planning message
This blend adds genuine value while creating opportunities for preplanning discussions.
What is a Family Follow-up Survey?
A Family Follow-up Survey is a feedback tool sent after families have used your funeral home services. FAC Marketing's surveys achieve higher response rates by optimizing timing and survey design. These surveys provide valuable service feedback while creating natural lead generation opportunities for preplanning conversations.
What kind of response rates can I expect from funeral home surveys?
Many FAC Marketing clients receive response rates of 45-50% on their Family Follow-up Surveys. While FAC Marketing can't promise you'll receive this level of response, the median response rate is approximately 50%. This success is due to research-driven timing and professionally designed materials.
Why don't most aftercare surveys work?
Typical aftercare surveys fail due to:
- Poor timing (too soon or too late)
- Overly long or impersonal formats
- Lack of a follow-up strategy
FAC Marketing's program overcomes these through optimized methods and integration with aftercare efforts.
How do aftercare newsletters improve family satisfaction?
Aftercare newsletters demonstrate that your funeral home's care continues beyond services. This ongoing connection increases family loyalty, generates positive reviews and referrals, and creates meaningful follow-up opportunities. The result is stronger trust, more preplanning conversations, and positioning your funeral home as a caring community resource.
How do newsletters help with preplanning sales?
Newsletters keep your funeral home top of mind and build trust over time, which naturally leads to preplanning conversations. Specifically, they help by:
- Maintaining consistent contact with families
- Educating families on preplanning benefits without pressure
- Building trust through valuable grief support content
- Timing preplanning messages when families are receptive, often after experiencing service costs firsthand
- Providing natural conversation starters for follow-up
Many funeral homes see preplanning leads months or years after initial services through sustained newsletter programs.
Who writes the content for the newsletters?
FAC Marketing's professional team writes all content specialized for funeral service. You supply your contact info and branding; FAC handles writing, designing, printing, and mailing.
What mailing lists do I need to provide?
Lists depend on your chosen program:
- Community Outreach: community prospects, past client families, preplanning prospects
- Bridges of Transition & Family Follow-up Surveys: recent client families' contact info monthly
FAC Marketing manages the rest.
How much do funeral home newsletters cost?
Pricing varies by program, quantity, and customization. Contact FAC Marketing for a tailored quote.
Can I see samples before committing?
Yes. FAC Marketing provides samples of all newsletter programs and surveys to help you evaluate quality and content.
How do I get started with a newsletter program?
Contact FAC Marketing at 1-800-800-5809 or info@facmarketing.com. Discuss your goals, select the program, provide branding and contact lists, and FAC handles the rest. Most funeral homes launch within weeks.
What should a funeral home newsletter include?
A good funeral home newsletter should include informative articles on funeral service value, grief support, preplanning guidance, family traditions, and content relevant to your community. It balances education with compassionate content families want to keep.
Are grief newsletters different from marketing newsletters?
Yes. Grief newsletters (like Bridges of Transition©) focus on supporting families through loss, while marketing newsletters (like Community Outreach) maintain broader visibility and education for prospective families. Both serve different but complementary roles.
Do funeral home aftercare newsletters increase referrals?
Yes. Aftercare newsletters build trust and satisfaction, encouraging families to share positive experiences and recommend your funeral home, generating valuable word-of-mouth referrals.